The former model, who lost her virginity to the mogul at 16, has not spoken about their romance with her CBB housemates.

But in an interview with the Daily Star Sunday before entering the house Paula, 54, said Simon, 53, is the love of her life.

She said: “When I first knew Simon he was good-looking and extremely charming. I loved him, of course.

“He is still just a lovely and sweet guy.”

Paula met Simon, inset, when they attended the Licensed ­Victuallers’ School in Slough, Berkshire.

She recalled how he defended her in lessons.

She said: “The teachers would take the piss out of me for being dyslexic and because I couldn’t remember things. Simon would say ‘Sir, why are you being so obnoxious to Hamilton?’ It was powerful at the time and it didn’t happen again.”

Paula, best known for her Volkswagen Golf TV ad in the 1980s, predicted Simon would never marry.

“He can just be a confirmed bachelor. But if he is going to marry anyone he is going to marry me. He will probably get around to it when I’m old and toothless,” she said.

Paula, who has struggled with drink and drugs in the past, suffered a meltdown within hours of entering the house’s dingy basement. Medics were called after she suffered a panic attack.

She has now agreed a secret signal with producers if she needs help while on the show. “I have always had panic attacks and knowing they can happen in the house is scary,” she said.

Insiders fear her behaviour could lead to clashes with other celebs.

Heartbeat star Tricia Penrose is secretly planning a showdown with her over an incident in the 90s when she was doing a record with Cowell. “She looked down her nose at me…It will make it easy for me to nominate her,”she said.